The present invention relates to a vehicle splash apron, commonly called a mud flap, which is connected behind a tire and to the frame structure or equivalent of a vehicle.
Splash aprons are designed for preventing pebbles and other loose material, which are hurled off the road surface by the vehicle tires, from being flung around, so that no annoyance, harm or damage is caused to other vehicles and passengers on the road. The use of splash aprons in vehicles improves road safety.
The currently used splash aprons have a uniform and stationary structure. Such splash aprons cause harmful air flows and whirls, which send fine dust or fog from the road surface onto the windscreens of other vehicles moving on the road. The pebbles flinged from the tires towards the splash guards do not loose enough of their dynamic energy, but continue their motion after bouncing off the splash aprons and consequently cause a danger for other vehicles.
Stationary splash aprons increase the body draft of the vehicle, and thus also increase fuel consumption. Moreover, the average service life of splash aprons is comparatively short.